Apparatus for converting beehive-ovens into by-product coke-ovens.



burned' by to recover b -products BERNHARD ZWILLINGEB, 0F NEW YORK, N.Y.

APPARATUS FOR GONVBTING BEEHIVE-OVENS INTO BY-PRODUCT GORE-OVENS.-

Leonesa.

yTo all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, BERNHARD ZwmmNoEn, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new anduseful Iniprove'ments in Ap aratus for ConvertingBeehive-Ovens into y-Product Coke-Ovens, of which the following is aspecification.

`My invention relates generally speaking to bee hive ovens, known 1n theart as standaijd bee hive ovens, for the production of metallurgicalcoke. As is Well known, ovens of 'this class are operated in such mannerthat the raw gases evolved from the coal are the aid of air enteringinto the mterior of the oven to support the process Ofcoke making,whereby all valuable byproducts are destroyed, and a considerable partof the coal, including its volatile constituents, is consumed.

` It is also well known that bee hive ovens can'be specially constructedand operated but new ovens must be specially uilt for this purpose.

.By my novel construction, however, 1 avoid all the above disadvantages.rlhe principal object of my invention is to change or convert anyexisting bee hive or simple coke oven which produces only coke and inwhich the gases issuing from the coal charge are burned in the interiorof the oven in order to produce the required heat for coking, intoanoven in which not only coke is made but all the by-products containedin the crude gases, such as ammonia, tar, benzol, heatin gas, emanatingfrom the coal are distille and saved.

s Another object of my invention is to change vany'existing bee hiveovenninto an oven with by-product recovery Without destroying itsstructure, or dismantling the plant or itsl general arrangement and toaccomplish this quickly and at a low cost.

Another ob'ect of my invention is to heat the bottom o the lay-productbee hive oven in a manner to carbonize the material uniformly and heatthe oven sole to a higher degree in those parts where more coal lies andless in those parts Where there is less coal.

Another object ,o my invention is to apply a method l bustion toby-product bee hive ovy A, burned gases can be regulate y f trolled anddistributed Iover the entire eating Surface with higher eiciency thanheretofore known Specification of Letters Patent. l Application tiledJuly 12, 1917.

closed. A batte 'ofthese WWhich the heat of the Ty serial No. 180,112.

in bee hive ovens, reducing the timefor carbonizing the coal charge andincreasing the capacity of the oven and obtaining the byproducts fromthe coal.

One or more embodiments of my invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawin in which; l y

igure 1 shows a vertical cross section through one of the ovens, n.portion of the back of the adjacentoven being' likewise indicated;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal closs,seeti(in through Fig. l showing moreparticularly the dis-- tribution of the fines under the floor of theOven.

Fig. 3 illustrates a battery of well known forms of hee hive coke ovensarranged back to back in rows which is converted by my invention into aby-product oven battery.

F ig. 4 is al diagrammatic plan of a. plurality of ordinary bee hiveovens arranged in roWs back to back and staggered as indicated Withmeans for supplying theheat ing mixture to and discharging the gasesfrom the front of thefovens. s s

Fig. 5 is a detail cross section of the preheater for the air on lineXf-X` of Fig. 4.

Fig. (i is a cross section on Iline Y--Y of the preheater 'passageway inFig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a detail view broken away at the elbow of the preheater wastegas passageq way shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a view of oneof the floor bricks provided with a gas tighttenon or joint.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a modi- Hed form of preheater hotair and Waste gas fines.

Fig. 10 is a front View of Fig. 9. y

Fig. 11 is a detail frontview of` the gas and air admission pipes shownin Fig.2.

Incarryin out my invention I convert the ordinary as shown in Fig. 3into by-product-ovens as follows: The ordinary oven consists Aof vaultedfire brick chamber 1 Withdomelike circular Walls 10Q constructed on asuitable foundation 2 `with anfinclined flat tile bottom 3 and anopening 4 through the top. An arched door 5 is provided `at the `bottomof the oven 4 removed and wh Ich 1n operation is tightly ovens is arranged in rows back to back and may be staggered aseshown in Fig. 4,fthe of the ovens being incased in lsuitable walls on foundation 8, andthe ovens beinggovered Patented June 1s.,A 1918.

attery of bee hive ovenssuch `through which the coke is, y ,v

by a non-heat-conductin backing 9 which covers the sides between t eovens and covers their tops. Tracks 200 on suitable track supports orpillars are provided for the lorries used to charge the ovens. The ovensmay be arranged in a single row, in which case a largenonheat-conducting backing is arranged on top of and in back of theovens. It will be understood, therefore, that in the best embodiment ofthis invention the ovens which are converted are of the standard domedform and also of standard space ing from center to center.

n accordance with my invention I first excavate underneath the bottom ofthe ovens so as to provide a space to he used for the combustion flues.Denotin the place occupied by the oven door as t e front, the op positcend the rear, and the left and right as sides of the oven, I excavate atthe front, rear and sides so as to leave underneath the shell of the beehive oven a space for the combustion iiues with the front of the eX*cavation somewhat lower than the rear. This is clearly shown in Fig. 1.I cover the bottom of the excavation by a suitable fire brick ioor 10.

A. series of iues for distributing and burning a. mixture of air and gasis provided beneath the oven. Their form may be widely varied. Theseflues have their own inlets for hot air and gas and their own dischargefor waste gases and are entirely separate from the interior of the oven,that is to say the coke chamber. In the particular embodiment of theinvention illustrated I make use of a floor 11 above the iioor 10 toprovide a space for the fines, the charge to be coked resting upon thedoor 11. The floor 11 is composed of re brick, preferably made of silicamaterial. In order to produce a gas tight lue so as to prevent leakage,the tiles are provided with tongues 12 and grooves 13,see Fig'. 8,ittinginto each other, the tongue and groove joints extending in a direction`across the flue chainels, transversely of the Hue walls.

The fiue system is so arranged as to be divided substantially in themiddle by a division wall 14 running down the center and separating theliuc system into two separate or equal halves. A plurality of verticalwalls 15 arranged as indicated on each side of the central wall providesa plurality of fines which carry the heating gases 1n a serpentinemanner along the entire bottom of the ovens, compelling them to give uptheir heat so that the sole of the oven through its entire extent issubjected tothe heating of the burning gases.

In accordance'with my invention and so as not to interfere with thebacks of the oven and without altering the walls of he oven chambers orthe spaces between xr ovens, I provide means for discharging tic waste,burnt gases at the front of the oven underneath the wharf of the oven.As illustrated I make use of lues 16, 17 one located at each sida of theoven, the ilues projecting underneath the wharf 18 at the front of theoven downwardly into the longitudinal waste gas main 19. Air and gas areadmitted to the combustion lues at the front through a sealing block 20,the block fitting against the ends of the walls 14 and 15 of the {iuesas shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and hermetically sealing the ends of the(lues. A plurality of gas admission ports 21 pass through the block andare supplied with gas through a gas supply pipe 22, one on each side ofthe oven, the fuel gas coming from the gas main 23.

Beneath the gas ports 21 are a plurality of air ports 25 which receivetheir supply of preheated air from the top air channel 26 of arechperator, of which the wastelgas main 19 is a part. The air ports 25are connected with the recuperator by a flue 24 and a header or air-box24, It will be observed that there are two air inlets 25 adjacent thecenter of each oven at opposite sides of the division 14, and two gasinlets 25 similarly situated. In addition to these other pairs of airand gas ports open into the two halves of the set of tlues between thecenter inlets and the lateral waste-gas conduits 16. The top and bottomchannels 26 of the recuperator are connected at one end by passage 32(Fig. 4) and lie above and below the intermediate chamber 19 receivingthe waste gases. Referring to Fig. 2 it` will be observed that the gasinlets 21 are arranged above the air inlets 25; by means of which anintimate mixture is accomplished. The air being highly preheated beforeentering into the combustion iue is expanded to a large degree and itsspecific gravity is therefore considerably below the specific gravity ofthe heating gas which enters the combos* tion flue at a comparativelylow te1npera ture. As a consequence thereof the gas molecules will fallinto the ascending highly heated air current producing a desirablemixture, thus effecting complete combustion. The end air ports 25 areinclined somewhat upwardly and are directed t ward the end gas supplyconduits-while he two central ports and the gas outlets run parallel toeach other, thus producing a shorter Haine at the end ports andelongated flames at the intermedlate ports. By providing a number of gasand air inlets at the front of the oven I avoid a prejudicialaccumulation of heat at one restricted space and divide and separate theair and gas into small quantities for better mixing and combustion.Suitable valves and slides 300 are used in the air and gas admissionpassages and in the discharge pipes for waste gases for controlling thesupply and discharge.

Various forms of preheaters may be used for preheating the air. Figs. 1,2 and 4 show a preheating device in which the air from the atmosphereenters into the bottom air chamber 26 travels the entire length of theoven battery, ascends to the upper chamber 26 from Where it goes throughdistribu ting conduit 24 into the combustion chamber. This preheater. isof the recuperator type, the air and Waste-gas passages being separateand distinct, and the heat being transferred from the gases to the airthrough the intermediate Wall. The flow of burning gases through the.two halves of the set of combustion flues beneath the floor of eachoven is constant in direction, and it. Will be observed that thewaste-gas educts 16 are of greater aggregate area. than the air inlets25, so to allow for the expansicnof the gaseous contents and to avoidiack-pres sure. The combination of the divided set of combustion iucsbeneath the floor of each oven, the recuperator, and the arrangement ofair and gas inlets and waste-gas outlets of the floor ues whereby theburning takes place from a plurality of points, enable me in a simplemanner to secure a distributed unilow heating for the ovens which isvery advantageous for uniform coking.

The recuperator extends longitudinally beneath the wharf, Where itsinstallation does not require alteration of the oven structure and Whereit constitutes no obstruction to the operations which are carried out infront of the ovens. According to my invention the heating system, whichconverts the ordinary simple internal combustion ovens into externallyheated by-product ovens, is practically in its entirety disposed belt Wthe floor levels,-beneath and outside of the ovens, the constructionbeing such as to enable the transformation to be made at low cost andwith the least amount of change in tie structure of the ovens, and tosecure highly erlicient heating.

A1 tention may be called to the fact that, as is customary, the floorsof the ovensl slope downward to the front to facilitate discharge of thecoke. Consequently, after the ovens are changed and the coal leveledparallel with the base, the layer is from 6 to 8 in :hes higher at thefronts of the ovens than at the back. The hot air and gas for combustionbeing' admitted to the undertloor combustion fines at the front, themost intense heat is produced where the coal is deepest, thus furtherinsuring uniform carbonization of the charges.

While the air for combustion can be supplied by chimney draft I prefer,for better regulation and in order to be inde ende-nt of atmosphericconditions to use a an 301 attached in the lower air channel 26 tofurnish the air.

Means are provided for recovering the byproducts from the oven.v Asillustrated, I make use of a discharge pipe 2T connected by means of thecharging conduit 28 with the top of the oven forming the charge openingof the oven. The conduit 28 is covered by a removable cover 280 which istaken olf when charging the oven through the charging conduit. Adown-take pipe 29 discharges the b rproducts into a hydraulic main 30Where they are led off for recovery.

It Will be observed by reference to the drawin that battery of ordinarybee hive co e ovens iihe converted by my invention into closed byproductretort coke ovens Without destroying or impairing the dome-` like Wallsof the ovens and without it being necessary to rebuild the ovens so asto make them of a special shape or special construction, and Withoutdismantling the plant or its general arrangement. The space 31 betweenthe adjacent backs of the oven is not interfered with nor is the bankor. heat protecting material 9 on the top of the oven altered nor arethe track pillars and tracks interfered with or displaced. By referenceto Figs. l, 3 and 4, the construction necessary to convert a battery ofbee hive ovens of the ordinary form into byproduct ovens will be readilyunderstood. Referring more particularly to Fig. 4 preheated air 1s suplied through pipes 24 to the fronts of t e ovens and the Waste gasesare taken away from discharge pipes 16 and 17. The recuperator isarranged along each side of the fronts of the ovens under theirrespective wharves, the top and bottom passages 26 of the recupueratorbeing connected at the end by an tip-take pipe 32. Air is admitted fromthe atmosphere into the pre-heater by means of openings In this way theair comes from one end of the heating passage of the recuperator travelsits entire length, passes upwardly through the up'take pipe 32 and thenalong the top passage 26 of the recup- `erator finding its Way to thepassage 24.

The Waste gases discharged in the itx-be-` tween section 19 of therecuperator are carried out by means of branch pipes 35 and the chimney36.

In the modification shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the oven 40 is shown backto back to a corresponding oven 41 partly shown. The oven is excavatedto a lesser depth than in the main figure and the bottom 42 provided asbefore. The top of the heating flue system 43 is raised above the Wharfline 44. The floor t3 and the bottom of the oven may be placed at anyconvenient. heights within the oven. The discharge products are carriedthrough pipes, 45, 46, 47, 48 as before, pipe 48 being supported on i tsshelf 49. The from; of the oven is closed byu suitable door 50. There-'mnerator passagvs arranged side by side, the central une 51receivingthe waste gases from discharge pipes 52.

Sil

1 wIt two side sections 53 of the recuperator are connected to and carrythe air from the atmosphere around the heating chamber 51 on its wayt/othe front of the oven. Gas is supplied to the front of the oven througha horizontal gas main 54 to which are cennected a suitable number of gaspipes ou. The air is fed to the front of the oven from the branchedconduit 56.

Having thus described the construction the operation will be clear. Theatmospheric air enters at the ports 33 asses through the low airconnecting channe 26 and along the length of the bench ovens underneaththe wharf, flowsto the uptake passage 32 to the upper air distributingchannel 26, this being connected by air conduits through orifices in thefront wall, of the oven as indicated and from this point the air is ledinto the combustion flues. The' heating gas is conducted through the gaspipes 23, 22 and 21 into the front of the oven so that when the gas andair meet they are burned and their products circulated through the fluesescaping up the discharge ipes 16 and 17 into the common discharge ues19.

In beginning the operation of a battery of ovens one or a small numberof ovens is first heated by burning coal or producer gas so that thewall of the oven and a part of its shell retains suiicient heat. Theoven is then charged with coal through the door, the gases are expelledfrom the coal and pass out through the passageways 27, 28 at the top ofthe oven, are collected in a suitable holder after having been deprivedof their tar and ammonia contents may be conducted to the return gasmain 23. At this time air is ad mitted to produce combustion. After afew ovens have been put into operation in the described manner theremaining number of ovens can be prepared for permanent operation bycharging coal through their charging conduits at the tops of the oven orthrough the oven doors. For permanent operation the ovens are of coursetightly' closed against the entrance of air, acting Wholly as retortsWith external heating. Heating gas may be obtained from the first ovensin actual operation instead of preparing for distillation by thecombustion of fuel in the interior of the oven. When the ovens are inregular operation the gases from the distilled coal then escape throughthe take od pipe on top of the dome and are Worked up in the usualmanner for lay-products.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with the, warts of a row of coke ovens of bee hivedesign, and a wharf extending longitudinally in front of the same, ofmeans for taking off byproducts froln the ovens, sets of combustioniiues arranged beneath the floors of the ovens with their` passagesseparate from the interiors thereof, a preheater extending length- Wisebeneath the wharf, pipes for supplyin said combustion flues with heatinggas, and hot-air and waste-gas conduits extending outward and generallyforward from the licor lines of the respective ovens to the preheaterbeneath the Wharf, whereby the rovv of bee hive ovens is constituted arow of closed, by-product retort ovens.

2. rlhe combination with the Walls of 'a row of coke ovens of bee hivedesign, and a wharf extending longitudinally in front of the same, ofmeans for taking ofi' lay-prod.- uets from the ovens, sets of combustionfines arranged beneath the floors of the ovens with their assagesseparate from the interiors thereo a preheater extending lengthwisebeneath the Wharf and having separate and distinct passages inheat-exchange relation for air and waste gasesxpipes for supplying saidcombustion fines with heating gas, and hot-air and Waste-gas conduitsextending outward and generally forward from the floor flues of therespective ovens and connecting the same with the air and waste-gaspassages respectively of the prcheater beneath the wharf, the area ofthe waste-gas conduits discharging from the combustion lines beinggreater than that of the het-air supply conduits, whereby the row of beehive ovens is constituted a row of closed, byproduct retort ovens havingunitiow heating.

3. The combination with the walls of a row of coke ovens of bee hivedesign, and a wharf extending longitudinally in front of the saine, ofmeans for taking off byproducts from the ovens, sets nof combustion uesarranged beneath the floors of the ovens with their passages separatefrom the interiors tlieieo'l, a preheater extending lengthwise beneaththe vflurri'. lint uil` und waste-gas conduits extending! outward undgenerally {orwarl from the door llaa-1 o'i'V the respective ovens` tothe preheater beneath the wharf. there being Waste-gas edlu'i .gmuiuitstoward both sides of euch oven and hot-air .supply conduitsapproximately at the ccnter and )ipes for supplying heating gas to therV-onn'lustion fines adjacent the outlets thereto oi the hot-airconduits, whereby the row of irre hive ovens is constituted a row ofhot-air supply conduits approximately at the center and additionalhot-air supplyconduits between these and the lateral waste-gas conduitsand pipes for supplying heating gas tothe combustion fines adjacent theoutlets thereto of the several hotair conduits, whereby the row of beehive ovens is constituted a row of closed, by-product retort ovenshaving distributed unitlow heating,

5. The combination with a bee hive noire oven structure, of a set ofcombustion fines beneath the floor of the oven. said set of fines beingdivided in lateral halves and having their passages separate from theinterior of the oven, an external preheater, hotair and waste-gasconduits extending outward from the floor iues to the preheater, therebeing waste-gas educt conduits toward vboth sides of the oven andhot-air supply conduits approximatelyv at the center at oppositie sidesof the division, and pi es for supplying heating gas to the com ustionfines adjacent thc outlets thereto of the hotair conduits, whereby theoven is constituted a closed. ley-product retort oven having divideduniflow heating.

6. The combination with a bee hive coke oven structure, of a set ofcombustion lues beneath the Hoor of the oven, said set of flucs beingdivided in lateral halves and having their passages separat-e from theinterior of the oven, an external preheater, hotair and waste-gasconduits extending outward from the floor fines to the preheater` therebeing wastegas educt conduits toward both sides of the oven, hot-airsupply conduits approximately at the center at opposite sides of thedivision and additional otair supply conduits between these and thelateral waste-gas conduits, and pipes for supplying heating gas to thecombustion fines adjacent the outlets thereto of the several hot-airconduits, whereby the oven is constituted a closed, ley-product retortoven having distributed nniow heating.

7. The combination with the walls of a row of bec hive coke ovens, ofsets of combustion fines arranged beneath the floors of said ovens andsealed from the interiors thereof, pipes tor supplying heating gas tosaid fines beneath the ovens. a recuperator comprising separate anddistinct air and waste-gas passages located outside of and along thebattery, hot-air conduits entering the floor fines of the ovenswfrom theair passage of said external recuperator, conduits of greater capacityfor discharging the products of combustion from the Hoor fines outsidethe row and into the waste-gas passage of the recuperator. and an oitakeconduit connected to the top of each oven for delivering l[Jy-productsfrom said oven, whereby said bec hive ovens are constituted closed, bv-product retort ovens having uniflow heating.

8. The combination of the walls of a bat- `air and gas inlets. and atery of circular bee hive coke ovens of standard design arranged in tworows with their backs adjacent, means for recovering byproducts from thetops of said ovens, sets of combustion flues beneath the floors of theovens and sealed from the interiors thereof, conduits arranged outsideof said ovens for supplying air and gas to said lues from the front tobe burned under the oors of the ovens and means for discharging theburnt gases from said ilues outward at the fronts of the respectiveovens, whereb said bee hive ovens are constituted closed, iiy-produc/tretort ovens.

9. The combination with a non-recovery bee hive coke oven, of means forrecovering by-products from said oven, air passages for supplying air tothe front of the oven, gas passages for supplying gas in proximity tothe outlets of the air passages,l means for preheating air arranged atthe front of the oven, lines for burning air and gas mixture under thefloor of the oven, and discharge flues for discharging the burnt gasesat the front of the oven, into the air preheating device.

10, The combination. with an original bee hive coke oven structure withits original walls, of combustion iues arranged beneath the floor of theoven and sealed from the interior thereof, external ducts for supplyingsaid fines at the front Wit air and gas for combustion, conduits fordischarging the waste gases from said combustion fines at the front andoutside of the oven, and an otttake connected with the top of the ovenfor delivering lay-products therefrom, the oven being sealed, wherebythe coke oven structure is converted into a closed, by-product retortoven.

11. The combination with the walls of a bank of coke ovens, of sets ofcombustion fines arranged in the bottoms of the ovens and havin adivision between the lateral halves of te set of fines of each oven, gasand air inlets at the fronts of the ovens and at both sides of saiddivisions, waste-gas fines extending forward from the two halves of eachset of flues at opposite sides of the reheater extending beneath thewharf in ront of the ovens and connected with said air inlets andforwardly extending waste-gas fines.

12. The combination with a battery of original internal combustion cokeovens with their original walls, of conduits for carrying ofi'Ilay-products from their tops, sets of combustion fines beneath theirdoors, an air preheater extending lengthwise exterior to the battery andbelow the floor levels, underground hot-air and waste-gas conduitsconnecting said combustion ues with the eX- ternal preheater and pipesfor supplying heating gas to said combustion tlues in proximity te theoutlets thereto of the hot-air supply conduits, whereby the battery ofYuns ovens is converted into a bank of closed, byproduct retort ovens7the ovens bein sealed. 13. The combination with a dou le row battery oforiginal bee hive coke ovens with their original walls, and wharvesextending lengthwise of the battery in front of the ovens, of sets ofcombustion lines arran ed beneath the floors of the ovens and sea edfrom the interiors thereof, a preheater Aextending lengthwise outside,Ain front of each row of ovens and beneath the oven wharf, hot-tir andwaste-gas connections at the base of the battery extendin from eachpreheater lto the' forward part o the combustion flues of the severalovens of the correspondin row, gas pipes likewise entering the forwardparte of said liues from the front, sind means for'takingboffby-products from the ovens, the ovens eing sealed, whereby the batteryof bee hive ovens is converted /into a battery of closed, by-productretort ovens. 14. The combination with a. battery of two rowsbaok-to-baok of original bee hive ooke ovens with their original walls,of sets of combustion iues arranged under the floors of the' ovens,conduits for supplying said iiues with air and as for combustion andconduits for conducting away the waste gases therefrom, said air supplyand waste-gas educt conduits extending at the front and exteriorly ofthe ovens, means for taking off ily-products from the ovens, and meansfor Ereheating the air, whereby the battery of ee hive ovens isconverted into a battery of closed, b -product retort ovens, the ovensbeing sea ed.

15. The combination with an original nonrecovery bee hive coke ovenstructure with its original walls, of a floor and a system of combustionues erran ed thereunder, means for taking off by-pro ucts from the topof the oven, external conduits for supplying the floor iues with air andgas for combustion and for conducting away the waste gases therefrom,and means for preheating the air, whereby the coke oven structure isconverted from aJ non-recovery bee hive coke oven structure into aclosed b -glrduct retort oven, Ythe oven being sealed).I

In testimony whereof.4 I 'have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BERNHARD ZWILLINGER.

Witnesses:

LOUELLA F. Lrrrnn, W. F. BlssINo.

